Baked Sockeye Salmon w/ Tartar Sauce

Cooking a delicious meal doesn't get any easier than this one.  I sprinkle a nice fillet of salmon or steelhead with garlic salt, lemon pepper, dill weed, and bake in the oven @375 for about 20 minutes.  If the fish is still soft & a little mushy to touch then it isn't quite done.  It should be firm and resist your finger pressure but please don't overcook...  For the tartar sauce I use half sour cream and half mayonnaise.  Then stir in chopped dill pickle, green onion, a big squeeze of lemon, dill weed, and salt n peppa.  It should sit in the fridge for a short while to meld the flavors.  I saute the zucchini and yellow squash but you could also just nuke it with a little butter.  I love Jasmine rice with it's unique taste and what I think is the best texture in the family.

Shrimp Fettuccini Alfredo

My favorite pasta dish, Alfredo can host many different meats and vegetables.  Chicken, Sausage, almost any seafood.  I like to use zucchini, carrots, mushrooms, broccoli, and green onion.  But not today.  Just fresh shrimp.  I always under cook the pasta so that it finishes a little chewy but tender in the Sauce.  In a large saucepan on medium high to high, I put 1 1/2 tablespoons butter and 1 pint whipping cream.  By the way, this serves 4-6 hungry people.  As the sauce starts to boil and reduce I add 1 teaspoon fresh crushed garlic, salt, ground pepper, and a couple handfuls of shredded Parmesan.  Never dried or powdered.  Then I stir in 1 lb. shrimp that I've cooked separately and continue to stir as the sauce thickens.  When it's close to oozy goodness I add the noodles and kill the heat.  I serve with a little more Parmesan on top and slices of warm garlic bread.

Philly French Dip

I made this the other night and fell into a daydream about having my own stand.  People would come from miles around just to get their mouths on this sandwich...  Oliver Twist was there too.  "Please Sir, May I have some more?"  And I was like, "You guys should just go and make your own.  It really is very simple."  When I came out of it my plate was empty....

Ingredients:  Sliced roast beef from the deli.  Swiss & Provolone cheese. Green peppers, mushrooms, and white onion. Saute the vegetables in a lil' olive oil until tender. Au Jus. French Hoagie Bread.  Special sauce- Mayo,Horseradish,Worcestershire,Garlic, Salt & Pepper.

 With the oven @ 375, I spread some sauce thin on both sides of  the bread and let it toast for about 5 minutes. Then I fold the meat onto the bun and top with vegetables and 1 slice  of each cheese.  Back into the oven for another 5 minutes and then I do a low broil to brown the tops.  I just watch closely with the door cracked open so I can pull the sandwiches as soon as they're perfect!  Served with hot Au Jus dip.

Chicken Piccata w/ Roasted Baby Reds & Asparagus Spears

Oh Chicken Piccata,  how I love thy tender, juicy breast...  If you've never had this before then you're in for a "Gee Golly Wizzersnaps!"  First let's get the potatoes in the oven.  I halve baby reds, or quarter smaller red potatoes, and cheat blanch them in the microwave for a short time. Just a couple of minutes to get 'em started.  Then I toss them around w/ garlic butter, Italian seasoning, and salt in a hot pan for a few more minutes.  Basically long enough to coat the spuds with the flavors and then  into the oven @ 375 for about 20 minutes.  I flour lightly pounded boneless/skinless chicken breast and saute in olive oil on medium high/high, turning a couple of times and keeping it wet with splashes of white wine/water until about half way done.  Then add a tablespoon of butter and half a pint of heavy whipping cream.  I keep the heat up to boil and reduce the sauce for a few minutes.  Meanwhile I give it some salt & pepper, a few capers, and about 1/3 fresh lemon juice to taste.  I like it zippy!  Some might think it's overkill but I also squirt some lemon on the asparagus spears before serving.  Put it all together, and Wah-lah-ti-da Baby!  You're in Lemon Heaven-

Rib Eye w/Tangy Green Beans & Garlic Mashed Potatoes

You need to have an extra hungry belly for this 'cause once you get started it's almost impossible to stop until the plate is empty... I season some extra thick steaks on both sides with Garlic powder, Johnnies' Seasoning salt, chili powder, course ground pepper, and let them hang out in the fridge while prepping the rest of the course.  Creamy horseradish sauce for the steak bites includes about 1 part horseradish to 3 parts sour cream and a little mayonnaise.  Then shake in some Worcestershire and pepper, & a dash of salt.  I also like some Au Jus for dippins.  I boil quartered Yukon gold potatoes skin on for about 20 minutes. Then strain and hand mash w/ butter, sour cream, crushed garlic and salt-n-peppa to taste.  These are creamy with great texture because of the peels and hand mashing. For the steaks I preheat the oven to 450 and do a pan fry/oven roast combo.  I sear the meat @ medium high to high  for a minute or two on both sides to start a crispy outside and seal in the juices.  Also get the sides a little too.  This keeps the steak from bleeding out while it finishes in the oven.  That hot oven will cook the steaks to medium in only about 5 minutes.  Fresh green beans are sauteed in a little olive oil w/ chopped green onion, bacon pieces, and splashes of red wine vinegar. Before the vinegar cooks in to the beans I mix in a big pinch of sugar and once again black pepper finds it's way, too.  Whoever thought of doing beans this way is a genius! Just don't overcook them.  I like them still bright green and with a decent crunch.

"Kooky" Peanut Butter Cookies

This is your basic peanut butter cookie recipe but I add chocolate, butterscotch, and Heath candy bar chips for a great  flavor combination.  I'm eating one fresh baked as I type this and all I've got to say is Don't Delay!  You've got to make a batch of these babies right now!

Ingredients-

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1- 1/4 cup flour
3/4 t baking soda
1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1/4 cup butterscotch chips
1/4 cup milk chocolate chips

1/4 cup Heath bar chips

Preheat oven to 375-  

350 for convection oven

Soften butter and mix w/ egg, peanut butter, and sugars

Mix rest of ingredients separately and gradually add to 1st

On greased & floured cookie sheet arrange golf ball sized dough- I put 8 per sheet and makes 16 cookies

Criss-cross the balls w/ a floured fork and bake for 10-12 minutes

Roasted Rosemary Lamb w/ Minty Sweet Brown Sauce

I saw this roast @ the store a couple of days ago and couldn't remember the last time I'd had some savory lamb.  About an hour before roasting I brushed the meat w/ olive oil, spread over crushed garlic, and sprinkled rosemary and salt. I like to put my rosemary leaves in the blender or cuisinart to chop and powder it.  It's a lot more potent that way.  Convect roasted @ 350 for about an hour and turned the oven off when medium rare to medium.  After sitting a few minutes the roast is medium to medium well.  I have to have it nice and pink... For the sauce I just use a brown gravy mix w/ some pepper and a big dallup of mint jelly.  As the sauce thickens I do use the drippings from the roasting pan and that's it!  I finished the plate off with some steamed rice and cauliflower & broccoli-  That lamb with the sauce is one of my favorite tastes!

Banana Belgian w/ Toasted Almonds & Honey Maple Cinnamon Chocolate Sauce

My son Levi requested last night that we have Belgian Waffles for Sunday brunch. And this morning suggested banana slices to top-  That's when I fantasized the sauce w/ whipped cream and toasted almonds... Breakfast was on!!  I use the Krusteaz waffle mix but let 'em bake a little long in the iron for a crispy outside.  Toasted sliced almonds @ 375, just make sure you don't forget and bitterburn the nuts. And for the sauce?  I used about 2/3 maple syrup to 1/3 honey and added a little butter, brown sugar, and a good shake of cinnamon.  30 seconds in the microwave and stirred in  a few semi-sweet chocolate chips.  This sauce was superdupe!!  Warm and rich with a little spice and just enough chocolate flavor but not taking over...  A couple of fried eggs over easy and some sizzled smoked sausage?
  Like I told my Mom "Holy Canolies!"  I'm full 'til dinner tonite-